Queensland Raceway
Queensland Raceway at a glance
- Location
- Willowbank, Queensland
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 3.126 km (1.942 mi)
- Turns
- 6
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1999
- Owner
- Tony Quinn (since October 2021)
- Phone
- 1800 722 377
- Website
- qldraceways.com.au
Track map and layout
Queensland Raceway earned its nickname "the paperclip" from its shape: a flat, 3.126 km lap with just six corners, four of them right-handers and only two left, run clockwise around a rectangular block of land at Willowbank near Ipswich. There is almost no elevation change anywhere on the property, which was a deliberate design choice by circuit designer Tony Slattery for spectator sightlines rather than driver challenge, and it means fans can see nearly the whole lap from a single vantage point on the infield mounds. The front straight has been officially named Dick Johnson Straight since 2001, honouring the five-time national touring car champion and three-time Bathurst winner. Under owner Tony Quinn the venue has been progressively upgraded since 2021, and a future works program is expected to add elevation and extend the layout toward 12 corners.
Named corners and sections
- Dick Johnson Straight. The front straight, officially named on 16 August 2001 in honour of five-time Australian touring car champion and three-time Bathurst 1000 winner Dick Johnson.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| National Circuit | 3.12 km | Main 6-turn layout used for Supercars and national events |
| Sportsman Circuit | 2.15 km | Shorter 7-turn club/training layout |
| Clubman Circuit | 2.11 km | 7-turn club racing layout |
| Sprint Circuit | 1.89 km | 7-turn short layout for smaller categories |
| Switchback Circuit | 2.50 km | Alternate configuration incorporating a switchback section |
Events and race weekends
The Ipswich Super 440 is Queensland Raceway's Supercars Championship round, run in August; the category left the venue after 2019 and returned in 2025 following facility upgrades under owner Tony Quinn, with the round's place on the calendar reportedly reviewed year to year since. The circuit also hosts Australian Superbike Championship rounds, GT World Challenge Australia, drifting events such as Drift Matsuri, and the popular Powercruise track day festival, alongside a steady program of club racing.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ipswich Super 440 | Supercars Championship | August | Returned to the calendar in 2025 after a five-year absence; future slots reviewed year to year |
| Powercruise | Track day festival | varies | Multi-day drive and drift festival for road and modified cars |
Getting there and parking
Queensland Raceway is at Willowbank, about 40 km south-west of Brisbane's CBD and a short drive from Ipswich, generally 40-50 minutes by car via the Cunningham Highway/Ipswich Motorway. Brisbane Airport is on the opposite side of the city, so allow around an hour by road for that leg; there is no train to the venue, so most visitors drive.
- Brisbane Airport (BNE) · about 60 min drive
Parking
General on-site parking is included with most event tickets; for the Ipswich Super 440 the raceway also sells priority parking passes, and organisers advise arriving early as the approach roads around Willowbank can back up before sessions.
Because Brisbane and Ipswich are both within a day-trip radius, many visitors do not need overnight accommodation except for the biggest Supercars weekend of the year.
Hotels and camping near Queensland Raceway
Ipswich, a short drive from the circuit, has the closest range of hotels and motels, with a wider choice available back in Brisbane for visitors happy to commute. On-site camping was reintroduced for the 2025 Ipswich Super 440 and has continued since, letting fans stay within walking distance of the circuit for the Supercars weekend rather than driving in each day.
Where to look
Ipswich has the closest motels and hotels to the circuit; Brisbane, about 40-50 minutes away, offers a much larger range for visitors willing to commute.
Camping
Official on-site campsites, roughly 500 m from the circuit, are sold separately from event tickets for the Ipswich Super 440; sites are sized for up to six people and one tow vehicle or motorhome, with shared showers, toilets and food trucks on site.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Queensland Raceway runs its own commercial V8 Race Experience, offering passenger hot laps and self-drive sessions in Holden/Ford V8s and Mustang/Camaro-based Supercar-style machinery, plus performance track days through third-party operator The Drive Team and motorcycle ride days run under the Champions Ride Days banner.
Who runs days here
- Queensland Raceway V8 Race Experiencecar
- The Drive Teamcar
- Champions Ride Days (QR Moto Ride Days)motorcycle
Typical cost: V8 Race Experience packages from around A$199 (3 passenger laps) to A$539 (5 drive laps plus 3 passenger laps in a Mustang/Camaro); full-day performance track days from around A$650
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outright (Formula Holden) | 1:04.0661 | Simon Wills | Reynard 94D | 1999 |
| Supercars Championship (qualifying, Gen3) | 1:08.0105 | Matt Payne | Ford Mustang GT (Gen3 Supercar) | 2026 |
Spectator guide
Queensland Raceway's flat topography, the very feature that once drew criticism from drivers for a lack of challenge, is a genuine advantage for fans: spectator mounds around the infield give sightlines across almost the entire lap from a single spot. The long Dick Johnson Straight and the tight corners at each end are the traditional overtaking and braking zones fans gather to watch.
Seating
Grandstands and elevated mounds line the front straight and the tighter corners; because the circuit is flat and compact, general-admission areas elsewhere on the infield also offer wide views of the lap.
Best places to watch
The mounds overlooking Dick Johnson Straight and the corners at each end give the best combination of overtaking action and overall lap visibility.
Weather
- August (Ipswich Super 440): South-east Queensland winter, typically dry and mild with warm days (highs around 20-22°C) and cool mornings
History of Queensland Raceway
A purpose-built "paperclip"
Queensland Raceway was built at Willowbank, near Ipswich, and opened in 1999 as a purpose-designed national circuit, laid out by designer Tony Slattery with input from motorsport authorities including CAMS circuit expert Professor Rod Troutbeck. Its flat, rectangular, six-corner shape quickly earned it the nickname "the paperclip", and while some drivers found the lack of elevation less exciting to race, the layout gave spectators an unusually clear view of the whole circuit from the infield mounds.
Touring cars, Supercars and a fallow period
The circuit became a regular Australian Touring Car Championship and Supercars venue through the 2000s and 2010s, hosting the Ipswich SuperSprint and the endurance Queensland 500. The front straight was named Dick Johnson Straight in 2001 in honour of the champion driver. Supercars dropped the venue from its calendar after 2019, and the circuit continued with club racing, drifting and its commercial V8 Race Experience through the years that followed.
Tony Quinn era and a Supercars comeback
Motorsport entrepreneur Tony Quinn bought Queensland Raceway in October 2021 and invested in new pit buildings, catch fencing, resurfacing and corporate facilities. The upgrades helped secure a return to the Supercars Championship in August 2025 with the Century Batteries Ipswich Super 440, the category's first visit to Willowbank since 2019, complete with on-site camping for the first time in the modern era. Supercars has flagged plans to keep returning, while Quinn has spoken publicly about extending the circuit toward a 12-turn layout with added elevation in future years.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Queensland Raceway?+
The National Circuit is 3.126 km (1.942 mi) with 6 turns, run clockwise.
Why is it called "the paperclip"?+
Because its flat, rectangular, six-corner layout resembles the shape of a paperclip when viewed from above.
Is Supercars still racing at Queensland Raceway?+
Yes, as of the most recent seasons. The category returned in August 2025 after a five-year absence, and organisers have indicated an intention to keep the round on the calendar, though its slot is reviewed year to year.
Can the public drive Queensland Raceway?+
Yes, through the circuit's own V8 Race Experience (passenger hot laps and self-drive sessions), third-party performance track days, and motorcycle ride days.
Is there camping at Queensland Raceway?+
Yes, on-site camping was reintroduced for the 2025 Ipswich Super 440 Supercars round, with sites about 500 m from the circuit, sold separately from event tickets.
What is the outright lap record at Queensland Raceway?+
1:04.0661, set by Simon Wills in a Reynard 94D Formula Holden car in 1999, shortly after the circuit opened.
Other tracks nearby
- Lakeside Park · 60 km · road course
- Surfers Paradise Street Circuit · 83 km · street circuit
- Morgan Park Raceway · 88 km · road course
- Newcastle East Street Circuit · 588 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Amaroo Park · 683 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Sydney Motorsport Park · 701 km · road course
Facts checked against 5 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.